This personal glider jumpsuit is meant to be worn over normal clothes or light armor and is intended to allow the wearer to control their direction and rate of descent during free fall. It includes a small emergency style parachute if one is needed for the final drop to the ground. While it would look rather baggy, the cloth flaps are long enough and shaped in such a way that the wearer can run and maneuver on the ground with little hindrance while wearing one, so it should not interfere with fighting upon landing. It is recommended that weapons be carried strapped to the front of the suit, possibly in covered bags so as to reduce their air drag.

Last edited by Timotheus on Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Since sail area has been mentioned as an area of concern, I'll have a possible solution up by Friday. They're based on actual devices used by the real things to extend the arm's length about a foot, foot and a half, and increase the sail area by 40%.

The real devices are sewn and strapped on to the suit but make it hard to use your arms for anything. My version is gauntleted on the forearm as part of the jump suit sleeve with the extension rod on a locking swivel (we'll pretend the drow elbow can take it). In the air the swivel is out to extend the extra wing surface. On the ground the swivel is rotated back beneath the arm to fold the excess wing surface out of the way.

There are a couple of quick ties to help keep the folded wing from getting tangled if it to be worn on the ground for any length of time, but the best bet is to remove the squirrel suit as soon as possible after landing.

ONE - design prototypes based on knowledge of flying terrors, dragon wings, billowing cloaks, and ship's sails and then use dolls to test initial plans.

TWO - at the same time and from similar sources develop a safety parachute as back up to glider suit (Capturing wind in a bag slows things down, wind against sails and capes applies force to move things, Ideas develop from there.)

THREE - Sew up full size prototypes with functional harness and support test subjects above the ship's deck using the ship's traveling speed to further develop the designs, Jumpsuit and Parachute.

FOUR - Investigate and purchase suitable materials (such as spider silk cloth) to make the jumpsuits and parachutes and sew up finished prototypes and harness. Volunteers then test fly while remaining safely tethered to the ship to improve design and gain experience in maneuvering in them.

FIVE - Some brave foo... soul takes the first leap into the unknown, possibly with a floater or over the lake with a boat nearby.

Whats the feasibility of installing light or shadow foci to the suit to provide camouflage? And then training the users to use the shadow and light sorcery effectively to hide themselves in descent?

I mean, there'll be many terrains and environments we'll be in. Green forest cover may not be universally inconspicuous. Blue to blend into the sky during day time. Dark blue/black to blend in during the night. Sand tan for desert areas.

Interestingly, night fighter studies have shown that a flat light blue is the best color to hide in pitch dark with. It's worries about reflection exposure from search light beams that keeps flat black on the favorites list. As far as I know there are no such foci for instant color or shading changes (the hunters would sure love them). As for different color patterns, I've tried to show a few different ones in the examples (although I realized the camouflage did a nice job of hiding all the drawing details as well).

I had hoped to have a number of sketches of various tests being run for the development of the hang glider, "Squirrel Suit", and Parachute by our "crack" research team. Unfortunately it's just taking too long with the graphics system I have. The drawings need a more fluid style and all I can get out of this is a very stiff drafting image. If I could scan my drawings and post them you'd have a page or two to entertain you, but I can't.

As a next best thing here's the ideas I was going to draw:

A sheet tied up as a parachute to a horizontal fan blade (in a cage) with Winslow suspended beneath it in a sling and his tail tied to the floor. Caption, "Hang in there Winslow, just a couple more hours of shifting weight to keep it level and we're done." Winslow does not look happy.

A pulley (block and tackle style) on a slanted rope with a feral hanging off it with a large cloth billowing out behind him tied to his arms and legs. A look of maniac joy on its face.

Another feral wrapped in a dark cloth with a hood with its ears poking up through the cloth. Caption, "ME CAT-MAN."

A very large paper airplane poised atop some large piece of furniture with one of our kids (probably a Totolo) in it and their mother standing below. Caption, "No, just... no."

Our Ilharess's bed chamber with a startled looking Anjie looking out from the covers. On top of the bed are a feral and drow wrapped in a large sheet and various ropes and ribbons along with broken ceiling materials. Caption, "Sorry, Bossy boss."

A drain rat in a cage wearing flight goggles hanging from a kite, with a clip board.